Mary Margaret Prentice

Mary Margaret Prentice June 19, 1924 - Feb. 19, 2008 A Concord Resident since 1989 Margie passed away peacefully with her son and daughter in law by her side after a long battle with heart disease. Margie was born outside of a small farming community of Arapahoe Colorado at her parent's home with the assistance of a local mid-wife. Her parents, Earl T. Rankin and Isabelle Rankin (Winters) were both from Kansas. She had three siblings, one boy died in infancy. Mary is survived by her son, John F. Prentice and daughter-in-law Lesley A. Prentice of Alamo, brother, Albert T. Rankin of Tehama, CA and sister, Gladys Gillihan, of Gardiner, Kansas. Margie is also survived by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. Shortly after her birth her parents moved to Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. She rode her horse, Babe, to school along with her brother and sister, everyone had a horse. When World War II began , Margie left for the big city, Denver first then San Francisco. She told everyone she was two years older so she could find work. An Italian family took her under their wings and with their support she found jobs as a waitress, at a ship builder in Oakland and then as an apprentice jeweler in San Francisco. It wasn't long before she owned two stores on Market St. As soon as she could she convinced her mother, Isabelle, to join her in San Francisco. Margie fell in love with John Franklin Prentice, Jr. from Whitney, TX. in about 1943. John was in the Navy and frequently on duty in the Pacific during many major campaigns. The ships he was assigned to would dock in the bay Area and that is how they met. When the war was over they were married in December 1945. She supported John's dream of becoming an illustrator and commercial artist and used the proceeds from the sale of her business, along with the G.I. bill, to relocate to Pittsburg Pennsylvania so John could attend the Institute of Art there. From there it was to New York to seek their fortune. Their only son, John Franklin Prentice, III, was born in Brooklyn New York on July 16, 1948. The family joke is that they had to leave John in the hospital several extra days because they didn't have the money to pay the bill. John started to land jobs and in 1955 became the artist for the syndicated cartoon strip, Rip Kirby. When Margie's marriage with John ended she went back to San Francisco where she remained until her retirement in 1986. She worked for Mels Drive In for more than twenty years and owned the Taxi Inn Cafe in the old Yellow Cab Building for many years. She moved to Concord after her retirement to be close to her son John and daughter in law, Lesley, who are residents of Alamo. Margie was fiercely independent and strong willed, doing her own yard work and cutting her lawn until she was 82 years old. She was loved by her neighbors, who she considered to be among her closest friends. She still resided in her home at the time of her death. Margie will always be in the hearts of her family and friends. She is at peace now in Heaven with her family and her mother, Isabelle (Nanny). Services will be held Feb. 28, 2008 at 10 a.m. at Ouimet Bros. Concord Funeral Chapel, 4125 Clayton Road, Concord, CA. 94521. (925) 683-4281. Ouimet Bros. Chapel 925-682-4242